breathed vpon his disciples and gaue theim the holy ghoste saiyng Take ye the holy ghoste that they beyng endued with his Spirite might brynge forth the fruites of the same and be therby knowen to his Apostles Antichrist doth breath the spirit of Sathan into his shauelinges and will that they shall be knowen to be his chaplaines by their long gownes shauen crownes horned cappes flaryng tippets c. 119 Christ sent forthe his disciples for to preache vnto all nations Antichrist sendeth forth his chaplaines to be Massemongers soule cariers Purgatory rakers Godmakers coniurers of salte water bread fyre c. 120 Christ commaunded his disciples to preache not mennes traditions but the Gospell that is to say repentaunce and remission of sinnes in his name to all creatures Antichrist commaundeth his praters to set forthe to the people his lawes and decrees and to entermedle them with tales out of Legenda aurea and narrations out of Festiuall Martyrologe c. He sendeth forth also his Pardoners to publike fables and lyes vnto the people and therto graunteth he Letters and Seales and many daies of Pardon and all for money 121 Christ willed his disciples to say vnto their hearers that whosoeuer beleueth and is Baptised he shall be saued But he that beleueth not shall be damned Antichrist commaundeth his Trompetters too blowe abroad into the eares of the people that whosoeuer will buye his pardons shall be absolued a paena culpa toties quoties and then must he needes be saued And he that teacheth otherwise is an heretike This his Bulles and Pardons do plainly testifie 122 Christe charged his Disciples diligently to teach the people to obserue and kepe those thynges that he commaunded theim and so doyng he promised to bee with thē vnto the very ende of the world meanyng not bodily but ghostly Antichrist giueth a great charge to his Chapelaines to inculcke and beate into the peoples heades vnder paine of deadly synne and euerlastyng damnation the keepyng of his Canons and Lawes and in so dooyng he promiseth to assiste them continually with the Spirite of Errour and falshode 123 Christe a little before his Ascension into the Kyngdome of his Father gaue a greate charge to Peter and his fellowe Apostles that thei with al diligēce should feede his Lambes and Sheepe with the moste wholsome pasture of his most swete woorde saiyng Pasce pasce pasce Feede feede feede Antichriste giueth straight commaundemente to his Captiues that thei shall poison the people with the Pharisaicall Leauen of his Lawe and by no meanes teache them the truthe of Gods woorde least thei should spie out his falsehod and aboue all thynges plaie Tolle Tolle Tolle Poll Poll Poll pill pill 124 Christe commaunded his Apostles not to departe from Ierusalem but to waite for the promes of the Father Antichrist thrusteth forthe into the ministerie his Greaslynges and Shauelinges without any consideration or motiō of Goddes Spirite If thei can Masse it or Mattens it he careth for no more 125 Christe when he should departe and goe vp into Heauen lifted vp his hande and blessed his Apostes that is to say wished well vnto them Antichrist lifteth also vp his hāde and blesseth the people that is to saie waggeth his fingers ouer them But whether he curseth or blesseth that is vncertaine 126 Christe by the power of his Deitie Ascenden into heauen perfecte God and perfect man. Antichrist through the multitude of his moste detestable synnes and vile wickednesse descendeth into hell bothe body and soule and hath his portion with Idolatours Witches Theefes Adulterers Whoremongers cursed speakers c. in that Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone where he and all his shall bee tormented with moste intollerable paines worldes without ende Hetherto of the life of Christe and of Antichriste ¶ Of the doctrine of Christe and of Antichrist FIrste Christe saieth that he came for this purpose into the worlde euen to testifie beare witnesse of the truth and that his woorde is the Truthe Againe that the holie Ghoste shall leade vs into all Truthe hereby manifestly declaryng that in his holie woorde is contained sufficiente doctrine for our saluation as saincte Paule saieth All Scripture giuen by inspiration of GOD is profitable to teache to improue to amende and to instructe in righteousnesse that the manne of GOD maie bee perfecte and prepared vnto all good woorkes Likewise saied the woman of Samarie to Christe I knowe that Messias shall come whiche is called Christ When he is come he shall tell vs all thynges And the Apostle in his exhortation to the Elders of Ephesus said I haue kepte nothyng backe that was profitable vnto you c. Againe I haue shewed you all thynges Antichriste saieth that though it bee truthe that is contained in the Bible yet all truthe necessarie to saluation is not there to bee founde but there are other truthes as necessarie to bee beleued vnder paine of damnation as those that bee contained in the holie scripture and thei bee called vnwritten verities He saieth moreouer that his Decrees and Lawes are necessarily to bee kepte as the Commaundementes of God and addeth moreouer that thei bee of equall aucthoritie with the worde of God. 2 Christe saieth that no man can come vnto hym except his Father drawe hym Againe that all shall bee taught of God Signifiyng hereby that no man can vnderstand and perceiue the misteries contained in the woorde of God excepte thei bee reueled and opened vnto hym by the Spirite of God whiche alone is the aucthour thereof for asmuche as a naturall manne can not come vnto the vnderstandyng of those thynges that belong vnto the Spirite of God. And as sainct Peter saith that the Scripture is not a priuate interpretation that is to saie not to bee expounded after the iudgemente of reason and as euery man of his owne braine fantaketh but as GOD is the alone aucthour of the worde so is the true vnderstandyng thereof to bee begged of God alone by feruent praier and by diligente conference of the scriptures Dauid consideryng this praied to God on this maner Open thou myne eyes that I maye see the wonderous thynges of thy lawe Make me to vnderstande the waie of thy Commaundementes and so shall I talke of thy wonderous woorkes O learne me true vnderstandyng and knowledge O giue me vnderstādyng that I may learne thy commaundementes c. And Sainct Paule writyng to Timothe saieth God giue thee vnderstandyng in all thynges Antichriste saieth that the interpretation of the Scripture hangeth of the iudgement of the Fathers and old auncient writers and of the aucthoritie and consente of the Churche of Rome whiche is the true Churche and mother of all churches and can by no meanes erre without the approbation of the whiche no interpretation of the Scripture can bee good and catholike 3
was giuen by the inspiration of the holy ghost so did the same spiritie infuse it aboundauntly into the heartes of the Apostles and likewise doth at this present with the faithfull and of the same spirite hath this holy Scripture his endurance and true interpretation Antichrist is not ashamed too bragge that hee is Lorde ouer the Scripture to alowe or disalowe it For of me saith he it taketh his full authoritie And for a token of this the Scripture of Christe is laied vnder his fete when he is at Masse 57 Christe commaunded by his Apostle sainct Paule that a bishop should be apte to teache and that hee ought to bee well learned that he may be able by his wholsome doctrine both to exhort and to ouercome all theym that resiste and be against the faith Antichrist will neither teache nor dispute with any man in the holy scripture for the maintainaunce of the Christen faith but onely for to augment his owne kingdom and to stablish his owne lawes And if any dispute with him they shall be cast first into prison where he and his ministers haue deuised and inuented proper engins too wryng their fingers so sore that the bloud shall braste out of their fingers endes Moreouer he will peine them and scourge them and with infinite other tormentes punishe theim to make theim forsake the trueth and afterwarde make them sweare on a booke that they shall tell no man of it Thus cruelly doth Antichrist entreate man for the truthes sake againste all iustice And if he can not subdue them to his will then either he murdereth theim priuely in Prison or els hee committeth them vnto the seculer power as vnto his Hangmen or Butchers to be burned And thus is the disputation ended and Antichrist hath gotten the victorie Sed viuit dominus qui custodit veritatem in seculum seculi facit iudicium iniuriam patientibus 58 Christe cursed the Figge tree vppon whiche he found no fruite and forthwith the Figge tree wethered and neuer bare fruite after Antichrist hath cursed and enterdited Landes and Realmes and yet did not the people dye but they prospered well and the earth brought forth her fruite and encrease no lesse then before yea much more aboundauntly thankes be vnto God that this saiyng may bee founde true Maledicent illi tu autem benedices They shall curse but thou shalt blesse 59 Christ calleth hymselfe the good shepheard saiyng I am the good shepheard The good shepeheard geueth hys life for his sheepe Antichrist saieth that he is a good sheepeheard and yet he pollet and pilleth hee sheareth and scrapeth the sheepe so neare that he leaueth not one locke of wolle on their backes And thinke ye not that hee is in al pointes the selfe same shepeheard of whom Zacharias prophecied whiche saieth in the persone of God Behold ▪ I will raise vp a Shepheard in the Lande whiche shall yot seeke after the thinges that be lost nor care for such as go astray He shall not heale the wounded He shall not nourishe the thyng that is whole but he shall eate the fleshe of suche as be fatte and teare their clawes in peeces c. Hee shall nourishe hymselfe and not the shepe And this Prophete criyng out on hym saieth O thou shepheard and Idoll forsakyng the flocke As though hee shoulde say thou bearest the name of a shepheard but thou arte an Idoll and counterfaite Thou art called a Shephearde but thou art a plaine murderer Thou arte named a feeder but thou art a destroyer Is it to bee thought that this Shephearde will giue his life for his Shepe 60 Christ chargeth Peter three tymes to keepe well and nourishe his Shepe Antichrist chargeth his Officers to keepe well his money And as for the Shepe he hymself taketh paines to shere theim and to keepe theim lowe with iufinite exactions 61 Christ gaue a commaundement that a manne should forsake his wife or putte her awaie for no cause but onely for adulterie Antichrist if he bee well monied will make diuorces for what soeuer cause a manne will haue hym yea and for money he will ioyne theim together whom the Lawe of GOD by no meanes suffereth to marrie 62 Christe beside the twelue Disciples sent forthe to Preache seuentie and twoo other Disciples whiche freely promised heauen to theim that would beleue in the name of Christe Antichriste sendeth out his Preachers and Pardoners whiche teache the people to beleue his power and to truste to his Pardons for their saluation addyng that thei can not otherwise bee assoiled nor come to heauen And all for money 63 Christe tooke awaie from his Disciples all temporall iurisdictiō and worldly power saiyng vnto them The kynges and Princes of the Gentiles haue rule power ouer them but ye shal not so haue Antichriste lifteth vp hym self aboue al power and saieth Emperours Kynges and Lordes bee my Subiectes This is daiely read in his Bulles wherein he cōmaundeth the Nobilitie like as a Master doeth commaunde his seruaunt 64 Christ gaue commaundement to his Disciples saiyng Looke whiche emong you will bee greatest let hym bee the lowest of all Antichrist saieth The Emperour must sweare vnto me as vnto his Lorde that he will bee my subiect and exalt and worship me with honour as his owne Lawe testifieth 65 Christe in all places of the holie Scripture reiecteth and casteth awaye mennes Traditions and Decrees Thei worshipp me in vaine saieth he teachyng doctrines that are the commaundementes of menne Antichriste magnifieth the Traditions and Decrees of his Canon Lawe and saieth that thei ought to bee kept as duely as if GOD hymself had commaunded them Or as if sainct Peter had preached them hym self 66 Christe wishyng no man to erre no manne to bee deceiued no manne to perishe or to bee damned called hym self in his Sermons the waie the truthe and the life I am saith he the waie the truth and the life Beleue in me and folowe me in my learning and rule you by the scripture For that shall bee your Iudge Antichrist saieth ye shall in all thinges followe the Churche of Rome meanyng thereby hym self and his Cardinalles as appeareth in his owne Lawe And as for the Scripture saith he it standeth in my power and aucthoritie For I maie make of it whatsoeuer pleaseth me 67 Christe loued them that were his ennemies blessed theim that cursed and did good to them that hated hym Antichrist can not finde in his harte to loue and blesse his ennemies nor to dooe good to his aduersaries but suche as in any point be against hym he curseth with the great cursse and will not absolue them till thei haue made perfect submission and paied greate sommes of money 68 Christe commaunded his Disciples that thei should not resiste euill but if a manne strike them vpon the one cheeke that thei
lawe of God it is cleane out of his minde 42 Christ saied that men should knowe his Disciples by their charity if they loued one an other as he had loued them Antichrist causeth his chaplens to bee knowen by their habites and vestures by their long gounes and shauen crownes and punisheth them if they vse not their habites But for their couetousnesse ambition pride whoredome and suche other wickednesse he neuer punisheth them 43 Christ promiseth forgiuenesse of sinne and the kingdome of heauen vnto theym that will repent and amend their liues Antichrist saith that no man can be saued except he be first shriuen of his Priestes and Friers For they bryng in money 44 Christ would not suffer that doues sheepe and oxen for the offering should be solde in the temple of God but draue out the byers and sellers with whippes Antichrist suffereth hys Chapmen in the Church to sell the Sacraments that they should freely minister to the Christen people In his court also there is sellyng of Bishorikes prebendes free chappels benefices dignities Abbotshippes offices c. And all for money 45 Christ lay in a stable with fewe cloates betwixt an oxe and an asse For there was no place in the Innes for his parentes bicause they were poore Antichrist lieth in rich chambers with quiltes curtaines carpettes and cushins spred all aboute with sweete smelles pleasaunt odours painted walles with hanginges of clothe of golde 46 Christ would haue men to visite the poore prisoners to comfort them and to deliuer them Antichrist hath no pitie on the poore yea he persecuteth the poore Christians putteth them in prison for y truthes sake and in fine most cruelly murthereth them 47 Christ did neuer imprison or persecute any man but he cōmaūded his disciples that they should loue their enemies and doe well to theym yea and praie for them that did pesecute them Antichrist that taketh on hym to stande in christes steade and to follow his example persecuteth punisheth prisoneth and putteth to death theym that are disobedient to his voluptuous pleasures See ye not howe faste he followeth Christes steppes 48 Christ healyng the sicke and doyng miracles did for the more part euer commaunde that thei should tell no man who had healed them Antichrist altogether desirous of vain glorie worldely praise and mortall renome giueth greate giftes and large benefices to Pardoners to Proctours to Lawiers to Liers to Minstrels to Msasengers to Friers to Flatterers and to suche like Parasites to blase his name abroade his holinesse and godlinesse that he maie haue honour and worship in this wicked worlde 49 Christ had no Courtes to pleate the matters of his Disciples in for he commaunded them that thei should not resiste euill Antichrist hath his Courtes and many riche menne of Lawe to oppresse the poore and to call vnto iudgement whom he lusteth For whatsoeuer cause he will he vexeth all maner people without mercie For forgiue he will not 50 Christ bad them that he healed to go their waie and to synne no more Antichrist giueth licence to the people to continue in sinne and giueth them licence also to keepe and maintaine Stewes and baudy houses and receiueth money therefore 51 Christ refused to bee Iudge betwene the twoo brethren in diuidyng their inheritaunce as a matter not incidente to his office whiche was to preache the will of his heauēlie Father but appertaining vnto worldly Iudges and temporall magistrates Antichriste taketh vppon hym to bee Iudge in all maner of matters Spirituall or Temporall Ghostly or Worldly There is no cause whiche he will not take vppon hym to determine namely if thei bryng money He will all menne in matters from all menne to appeale vnto hym and vnto his Courte for sentence without any resistance or against saiyng 52 Christe would not bee defended in a righteous matter with martiall armoures but he commaunded Peter to put vp his swearde into his sheath For he that striketh with the swearde saieth he shall perishe with the swearde Antichriste commaunded Emperours Kynges Princes and Lordes with their Subiectes to take Sweardes Speares Halberdes and Gunnes and to helpe hym to slea all suche as will not obeye his tyrannie And this muste the Emperour doe or els he must bee periured yea and also deposed because he is no meete manne to reigne forasmuche as he stoutly defendeth not the liberties of holie Churche After this manner came it to passe that Iulius secundus bishop of Rome caused to be slaine sixtene thousande men in one daie Was not that well pastured Was not this a worthie Uicar of Christ and a noble successour of Peter 53 Christ gaue free libertie to all men to eate all meates at all tymes for as muche as that whiche entereth into the mouthe defileth not manne but that commeth out of the mouthe For all thynges are pure to theim that are pure and nothyng is to bee caste awaie if it bee receiued with giuyng of thankes For it is sanctified by the woorde of God and by praier Yea it is the doctrine of Deuilles to forbidde that to bee eaten whiche God hath made to bee receiued with thākes giuyng Antichrist plainly condemneth al suche as presume to eate Egges Milke butter or Cheese but specially Fleshe on those daies that he hath commaunded to be fasted and denounceth them heretikes This agreeth with Christe as light with darkenesse And yet haue wee been so blinded these many yeres paste through the iuglyng of our Spirituall Sorcerers that we could neuer perceiue this Antichrist till nowe in the latter daies when that manne of synne muste bee reueled and vttered accordyng to the Prophecie of the Apostle 54 Christ gaue authoritie vnto his disciples to binde and to loose saiynge Whatsoeuer ye binde in earth shall bee bound in heauen Ind whatsoeuer ye lose in earth shall bee loosed in heauen But Christ spake nothing of binding and loosing in purgatory for money concerning the soules departed Antichrist chalengeth greater power and larger authoritie For he will loose soules out of purgatory and commaunde the Angels to fetche them out and all for money For without money ye can gette nothyng of hym 55 Christ is head of the Churche as the holy Apostle Paule doth testifie and also he is the stone whereon the Churche is builded And this Church is the congregation of faithfull Christen people and the very body of Christ. Antichrist saith that he is head of that Churche and that the Sea of Rome is the stone whereon that Churche is builded Can any thing be more contrary vnto the honour and glory of GOD than thus to despoile hym of his kingdome whiche he so derely hath bought shedyng his precious bloud for it 56 Christ gaue vs a lawe whiche is the holy Scripture This holy Scripture as it